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“Yep,” Slash said. “You’re in the car. I’m not going faster.”
“Five over,” she pleaded.
“Jazz and Brielle handled everything. It’ll be fine. You’ve got to learn to relinquish control.”
“Because I’m so good at that,” she drawled, looking over her shoulder at me and winking.
I smiled, enjoying their banter. It made everything feel lighter after the oppressive somberness of the funeral.
We arrived back at the clubhouse, and we were one of the last cars to get there. I thought it was adorable how protective Slash was of his pregnant wife. He was attentive to her needs, and he never lost his patience with her.
“I have to change,” I said as the four of us went up the porch steps.
“Same,” Brooklyn said. “The elastic on this dress is itching.”
Folding tables had been set up in the living room and kitchen area. The furniture had been pushed against the wall to accommodate them. It was congested and noisy, and I immediately threaded my way through the throng to the stairs. I was already pulling off the cardigan before I even made it to Viper’s room.
Our room.
It would take some adjusting, just like sleeping in the same bed with a huge man who took up all the space was an adjustment.
I closed the door and sat down on the bed to remove the heels. A few seconds later, Viper strode inside.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
He closed the door. “Just wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“Oh.” I frowned. “I’m fine. I told you I was changing.”
“Yeah.” He leaned against the wall.
“How areyoudoing?”
“Fine.”
I raised a brow. “Is this one of those moments where you’re burying your true thoughts deep?”
“This is the life.”
“So you’ve said.”
“I’ve known Raze, Bones, Smoke, and Kelp for years. Their deaths…”
“Would’ve hit you harder.”
“Yeah.”
I set the heels aside and then folded the cardigan. “I feel the opposite.”
“Do you?”
I nodded. “I didn’t know South Paw well. But I liked him and felt like he was someone I would’ve been friends with down the road.”
Viper pushed away from the door and sat on the bed next to me. He took my hand in his but didn’t say anything.
“How do you do it?” I asked quietly. “How do you love people, connect with people, knowing all the while they might die on you?”
“I don’t know,” he admitted.
